The Accessible Anthropological Assembly: An Alternative for Montreal 2011

Firstly, it should be highlighted that the American Anthropological Association arrives in Montreal in the midst of massive student mobilizations against tuition fee hikes planned for 2012 in Quebec; but also at a time when Montreal is promoting itself as a cosmopolitan city built on a knowledge-based economy. Hence, it is in a context of commodification of knowledge and of increasingly exclusive access to knowledge that the American Anthropological Association is hosting an overly expensive event in one of the most prestigious establishments of Montreal.

In a period of global resistance (Occupy Together, student movements, Arab Spring), shouldn't we be interested in global struggles and be questioning neoliberalism? Similarly, shouldn't we be generating critical thinking on our own institutional dynamics ? Is research only an interest or a tool for social change?

The anthropology students of the University of Montreal are inviting you to participate in an Accessible Anthropological Assembly. During this event, students, professors and researchers will gather and discuss different themes related to the contradictions mentioned above. Your presence would certainly be an asset to make of this assembly a success.

Where? In the Riopelle park, in front of the Palais des Congrès (1001 Place Jean Paul Riopelle, Montréal)

We will orient discussions based on themes like the fallowing: the commodification of knowledge, the accessibility of knowledge and education and access of anthropology to public debate.

What we would want from you:

Each theme will be the object of a discussion animated by a student. Depending on your interests, we invite you to choose one of these themes to introduce the discussion with a short presentation of 5-10 minutes. We will then assume facilitation of the ongoing debate and you will be invited to contribute as a participant.

In addition:

To make the debate more accessible, we will offer simultaneous translation (french and english)

Hot beverages will be served

The event is, of course, free

In order to plan the event in advance, we ask you to respond to this message before Thursday November 17th if you are available to participate. Please indicate your time of arrival (preferably 1pm) and the theme you would like to discuss. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

This is the archive of what was formerly the webpage of AJP. It now consists entirely of the essays and posts published by AJP founder, Maximilian C. Forte, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, at Concordia University in Montreal (maximilian.forte@concordia.ca). AJP was a Canadian organization for anthropologists interested in supporting struggles for self-determination, decolonizing knowledge production, and resisting the corporatization and militarization of the academy.